Shawn Dalrymple from his time in Afghanistan. Photo: Private
The story was that a Taliban leader had been captured. But weeks later, US forces continued their hunt for the same man.
Published:
Less than 10 minutes ago
- Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen claims he did not know that the wrong person was arrested in the operation to take Taliban leader Qari Nejat.
- US Lt. Col. Shawn Dalrymple says Nejat was never taken off the target list and was killed by a drone in 2008
- Kristoffersen will not comment on Dalrymple’s statements.
Sea view
– He was never taken off the target list, says retired American lieutenant colonel Shawn Dalrymple.
During the war in Afghanistan, the coalition forces kept a list of enemies they were hunting. Those on this list were either to be killed or arrested. The list was known by the abbreviation JPEL.
In 2007, soldiers from the Norwegian Armed Forces Special Command (FSK) were to arrest a Taliban leader. He was on this target list.
If a Taliban leader was killed or captured, he was struck off the target list.
A little over a year ago, VG revealed that the wrong person was arrested in the operation. Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen, who led the operation, has said that he was not told this.
Since then, he has not wanted to answer whether the Norwegian forces removed the Taliban leader from the target list after the operation.
– This is classified information, Kristoffersen has replied.
But now an American officer tells what happened:
The Taliban leader became does not removed from the target list.
– I’m struggling to make it work that they shouldn’t know it was the wrong guy, says Shawn Dalrymple.
The Tagab Valley, where the operation was carried out, lies east of the capital, Kabul. Photo: Kyrre Lien / VG
Half a year after the operation, in 2008, Eirik Kristoffersen and special soldiers from FSK were back in Afghanistan. At the time, the Taliban leader, Qari Nejat, was still operating in the same valley, according to intelligence reports and news reports.
In an interview with Kristoffersen in 2022, VG addressed this. If Nejat was still on the target list and operating in the valley, didn’t Kristoffersen get this?
– Then I have to go through and look at the reports, which target list we worked with in 2008. I don’t remember that now, said Kristoffersen.
Since then, the answer has been that it is classified as confidential whether or not Qari Nejat was still on the list.
– There is no occasion to comment on the target lists and reports from 2008 either, this is graded information, Kristoffersen replied in an email.
Shawn Dalrymple. Photo: Private
Lieutenant Colonel Dalrymple says:
– He was never taken off the target list. [Qari Nejat] was there all the way through 2008.
Dalrymple was part of the American forces stationed in the valley where the operation was carried out.
– I don’t know how they could have avoided knowing, because we knew for sure that he was not captured. We continued to hunt him the entire time I was in Afghanistan until I left in April 2008.
Will not comment
VG has confronted Kristoffersen with Dalrymple’s statements. He has not answered any of VG’s questions in this case. He did not want to be interviewed.
In a written statement to VG, he says:
“When I received the War Cross with Swords, I experienced receiving this recognition on behalf of many soldiers who have helped solve dangerous missions in Afghanistan. VG’s presentation is particularly bad for me because it casts doubt on the efforts our veterans have made. Otherwise, I refer to previous answers given in the case.”
Chief of Defense Eirik Kristoffersen. Photo: Geir Olsen / NTB
New surgery weeks later
A month and a half after the Norwegian forces returned home, a major operation was carried out, says Dalrymple. Again the aim was to take the Taliban leader Qari Nejat, as well as the leader who stood above him again, Qari Baryal.
Qari Nejat was not captured in this operation either.
– Everyone in the intelligence community knew that he was not dead. So I don’t understand how they wouldn’t have gotten the message. I mean… , I think they just ignored it,” says Dalrymple.
Throughout 2008, Qari Nejat was linked to suicide attacks, kidnappings, ambushes and executions, according to US intelligence and news reports
Nejat was eventually killed by an American drone in August 2008.
Taliban leader Qari Nejat’s grave in Afghanistan confirms that he died in August 2008. Photo: Kyrre Lien / VGPublisert:
Published: 31.01.24 at 22:27
2024-01-31 21:27:45
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